As a Confederate major general, West
Pointer (1840) John P. McCown had a troubled career. Posted to the artillery, he had seen
service in the Seminole War, on the frontier, during the Mexican War-winning a brevet-and
on the expedition against the Mormons. Resigning his captaincy in the 4th Artillery on May
17, 186 1, he offered his services to his native Tennessee.
His Southern assignments included: lieutenant
colonel, Artillery (1861); colonel, Tennessee Corps of Artillery (May 17, 1861);
commanding 2nd Brigade, lst Geographical Division, Department #2 (September 7-October 24,
1861); brigadier general, CSA (October 12, 1861); commanding 3rd Division, lst
Geographical Division, Department #2 (October 24, 1861-February 1862); commanding McCown's
Command, lst Geographical Division, Department #2 (February-April 1862); major general,
CSA (March 10, 1862); commanding division, Army of the West, Department #2 (April-July
1862); also commanding the army Uune 20-27 and July 20, 1862); commanding division,
Department of East Tennessee (summer-December 1862); commanding the department (September
1- 19 and September 27-October 1862); commanding division, attached to Hardee's Corps,
Army of Tennessee (December 1862-January 1863); and commanding division, Smith's Corps,
Army of Tennessee (February-March 1863).
Initially in charge of the state's artillery,
he commanded a brigade and then a division at Columbus, Kentucky. He did not however cross
the Mississippi for the fight at Belmont. Commanding at New Madrid and Island # 10, he
came in for severe criticism for his handling of the defense and withdrawal from the
latter.
By now a major general he led a division in the
Corinth siege before being transferred to East Tennessee. On the invasion of Kentucky he
fought at Richmond and then, attached to Bragg's army, fought at Murfreesboro. He then ran
into trouble with the army commander who brought charges against him for disobedience of
orders. Court-martialed on March 16, 1863, McCown was sentenced to six months' suspension
from duty without pay. Afterwards he held only minor posts for the balance of the war. He
was a teacher and farmer postwar.
Source: "Who Was Who In The Civil War" by Stewart Sifakis